The Teacup
by InfiniteSnow
Summary: The teacup. It is not the place where we first met, but opened up to each other and understood each other better, Ikuto. I fell in love with you. And moreover, it helped me realize that I just admire Tadase but love Ikuto. And now, it is the place where we officially declare our love. A sweet one-shot, bit angsty in beginning. [Amuto, IkuAmu, IkutoxAmu, AmuxIkuto] [K to be safe]


[Amu's POV]

_-Flashback-_

"_I love you…" Tadase's voice became so dreamy, like a prince claiming his princess in those cheesy Disney Princess movies._

_For some reason, my heart sped up in anticipation, and my breathing hitched, my cheeks drained of color, but I still managed to look at him. This scene feels so cheesy and copied straight out of a romance movie, so why am I willing to play along with it? I do not know, but maybe I am desperate enough for Tadase to understand I love him._

_But do I really?_

"_Amulet Heart," he finished, looking intently at him, like I was going to Character Transform with Ran any moment now._

_My heart dropped. Amulet heart? He only loves me for my would-be sporty, cheery, pink, and girly self. That is only a portion of me._

_Ran, Miki, and Suu floated over my shoulders, and shot glares at Tadase. Then color drained of his face when he realized what he said._

_My feet shifted into a flight-or-flight run, and I prepared to run back to the summer home with everyone else part of this stupid hide-and-seek game._

"_W-wait, A-Amu! I take that back!" he called after me, after I took into a run._

_But I didn't spare a glance back at him, a boy who just loved me for my external transformation with Ran._

_I can't love a boy who is in love with my looks._

_-Flashback end-_

I walked down the ever-narrow sidewalks, very sad with the incident that happened so long ago, in my view.

The battle with Easter was over, yet I still had my charas even though I had become a master chef, an awesome sport player (and blunt in honesty, must I add), an artistic person in sketching/drawing/painting/sculpting, and a person who sings well and understands her inner shine.

"I'm sorry, Amu-chan," Ran forced her way into my view, pumping her pompoms up like a cheerleader to lift my spirits.

Me? Get mad at Ran? No way. I gingerly pat Ran on the head and smile, "It was Tadase's fault. Not yours. I am proud you are one of my charas, so don't feel bad if he liked our transformation together."

"What is she talking about?" Dia turned her head towards Miki and Suu, in hope of a good explanation.

"Way back, Tadase-kun said he only liked her transformation with Ran ~desu! He is a meanie ~desu!" Suu pumped her chubby fists in the air.

"He doesn't know how much depression on the inside he caused her," Miki glared at her pencil, hoping it would turn into a spear and she can hurl it at Tadase.

"That's terrible," Dia shed tears at the thought of her owner crying. All those times she saw Amu sob in bed, sob at her desk, sob in her seat at school and silently let tears drip in the Royal Garden was because of Tadase's indirect rejection.

"It's okay," Ran floated back to the other three with her pompoms pumped in the air, smiling broadly, "Amu loves us no matter what, and she loves us very much if we turn those tears into smiles! So smile, Dia!"

Dia giggled at Ran's enthusiasm, and glanced back at her owner, who was silently smiling at their silly antics.

_I hope you find who loves you for who you really are, Amu-chan._

Amu shook her head. Had she never heard Nobuko on TV on that fateful night, she would have never made a wish, got her charas, and learn, what it is to be like than live with a façade of "Cool 'n' Spicy".

She would never have met the guardians and learn what it is like to have friends, sleepovers, and playdates, and fun times with people you got close to at school.

Sighing softly, she touched her Humpty Lock. And had she not made the wish to be reborn, she wouldn't have had the chance to purify X-eggs, and encourage kids to never stop working hard for their dreams, no matter how far away it seems.

She stopped daintily at an intersection, and jammed her fist with the button, when she realized there wasn't going to be a walk sign appear for a while.

Three seconds later, a white walking sign appeared, and she curtly crossed the zebra walk, allowing her charas to follow after her.

Making a few twists and turns, she came to an alleyway.

Amu kept on walking on forward, and realized this wasn't the way home. She knew that she had to take a left and walk for a while to appear in her neighborhood.

"Amu-chan, home is that way, ~desu…" Suu pointed her chubby hand in the left direction.

"I know, but my legs have a mind of their own right now," Amu trailed off, worried. Where in the world is she going?

"_Ikuto!"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_My home is that way."_

"_Oh well."_

"_Then what are we doing, taking this route?"_

"_Have you heard of a shortcut?"_

"_Ehh?!"_

"_Sound surprised? Man, what a kid."_

"_Hey! I am not a kid!"_

"_Come on, I have something to show you. Be quiet."_

The memory melted away from Amu's mind, and realization dawned upon her. She was going to a familiar place that she had been to, more than once.

But where?

Against her will, she found herself, climbing a huge wall covered in thorn branches, probably from wall-climber roses.

When Amu jumped over the wall, she turned around as well as her guardian charas, and their mouth hung deep down, when they realized where they were.

The Amusement Park. _(A/N: Let's just say the park never got torn down, ok?)_

Then, in a flurry, my charas broke into a tornado of demands on going on specific rides, well except Dia, who took her ladylike time in choosing a good ride.

"Amu-chan! Amu-chan! The bumper cars!" Ran tugged me near her dream ride.

"No! Not _that! _The carousal!" Miki grabbed me towards her favorite ride.

"Let's try the roller-coaster, ~desu!" Suu had to be daring for this instance, I swear.

"Hmm, I want to go on the Ferris Wheel," Dia glanced at me with an approving look.

I held my hands up and pointed at them, "All right, Ran's ride, Miki's ride, Suu's ride, and Dia's last. You guys okay with that?"

They eagerly nodded, and I turned around to go to the huge switch.

Pulling it down, the park went ablaze in sparkly lights.

Letting Ran pull me to the bumper cars, I kind of just rode along the surface and bumped into the sides until Ran was a little dizzy and stopped before she could vomit.

As for the carousal, I picked a white horse with a pale blue mane to ride on while Miki grabbed the bar and screamed for her life like a little kid.

The roller coaster was fast and went at scary heights, turning me upside down to do the loop a grand total of six times. Suu enjoyed it and screamed her head off, and thankfully, not literally.

And the Ferris Wheel, I had a good time looking out the window as Dia excitedly pointed out all the beautiful lights of the city.

I smiled and leaned back in the seat. When I looked down, I could see glittering diamonds litter the floor, underneath my high position in the air, I felt mesmerized.

"Amu-chan, do you see? You have to find a person who loves you for your inner beauty!" Dia cupped my cheek.

"But I already have one," I looked into her amber orbs, identical to mine.

"From what I have heard, Tadase-kun sounds like a superficial jerk, someone who fell in love with only part of you," Dia shook my head. She thought I liked him still? Ouch.

I shook my head, chuckling softly, effectively startling Dia.

"Not him," I gently smiled at Dia, as softly as if I had chara changed with her.

But when I looked in the glassy mirror door, I saw that my X clip had turned into a diamond clip. Shoot…

"Then who?" Dia looked at me with adorable huge honey eyes.

"A perverted cosplay guy, five years older than me, smothered by his little sister Utau, and plays the violin. Right now, he is on the lookout for his father and possibly joined an orchestra and might have a cute fiancé," I sadly looked at the glass.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi?" Dia's orange eyes couldn't get bigger than saucers.

Just then my diamond clip changed back into my normal trademark X clip, and I blushed heavily. I spilled it.

"Y-yeah…b-but I am sure he forgot me…" I refused to look at Dia.

Just then a little hand touched me on the shoulder, and I just had to look at Dia.

"Amu-chan, look at me in the eyes…" a cute angelic voice found itself to me.

I slowly looked her in the eyes.

"I am sure that if you love him because he sees right through you and loves you for who you are, then he will not give a second glance to any other girl, no matter how well-natured they are," Dia smiled at me, "Because they are nowhere close to catching his heart than you are. They are incomparable to you."

I smiled. Dia had a ring of truth to all her words, even when she was in her X form.

"Thanks Dia. Thank you so much. I hope it is true," I smiled.

"I know it is true," Dia smiled at me back.

[Normal POV]

"How much more walking, nya?" a cat chara whined loudly.

"Quit whining, Yoru."

"But Ikuto-nya! I want sardines!" Yoru pouted like a baby.

"Miki might be there," Ikuto smirked.

Yoru's cheeks immediately lighted up like a Christmas tree at the mention of Miki. To cover up his bashfulness, he swung his head away and huffed, "Fine-nya."

"So stubborn, just like Amu," Ikuto shook his head in mock disbelief.

"Ikuto-nya!" Yoru whined.

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"…Nevermind, nya…"

"Then let's find the little kid and her four charas, shall we?"

"As long as Miki is there."

"Oh she will be, right in the mood to hit you with her sketchbook or canvas."

"Way to lighten the mood, Ikuto-nya."

"You're very welcome."

[Amu's POV]

I got off the Ferris Wheel, and the conversation I had with Dia lingered in my mind. Do I really love Tadase? Or was I just smitten with his princely looks and personality? I was at fault, for falling for his outer shell, the same way he fell in love with my cold exterior and Character Transformation with Ran. We were at a cross roads of being guilty for loving each other for looks and outer personality.

Tadase had a kind outer princely character, but had an inner greed for power and materialistic wealth and the reign over the whole world.

I was a cold girl who just glares at everyone, and at home act cold towards my parents and sister. I wear punk gothic clothes, while Ami wears cute and pink and frilly dresses. I scowl while my sister giggles and laughs. I stay quiet about being able to play the flute my whole life to the extent that my parents don't even know that I ever played the flute, while my sister made a whole newsflash about being a singer someday like Utau. I am, inside, an incredibly shy girl, who wishes that someone can see right through me and love me for who my inner character is._ (A/N: Let's just say Amu knows the Flute. I will be doing a real chapter story where Amu is expert at the flute and an artist, later on, probably during Christmas Break)_

Tadase didn't. He just blushed when I managed to act cold around him, and almost fainted when I became Amulet Heart, complete in a two piece cheerleader outfits, with pompoms, a reflective visor, and legwarmer sneakers. All in pink.

Ikuto loved me when I let myself open, always saying I was a 'kid', and always made clues that being myself always captivated him. He loved me when I broke my walls down and did whatever I wanted to do: play my flute, wear cute dresses, smile, laugh, blush, and always try to stay at least a hundred million miles away from him, in my own house (which isn't possible, mathematically).

My parents never understood me, and if I let my guard down, and act all cute and shy like my sister, they would probably take me to a psychiatrist to see what the hell is wrong with me and why did I have a sudden shift in my likes and dislikes.

They thought that acting cold is who I am, but that isn't. My cold exterior was for Ami.

I wanted, the moment she was born, for only Ami out of us two to wear the cute and frilly dresses, even though restraining myself hurt me.

I wanted Ami to sing and laugh and giggle instead of me. I wanted her to act girly in my place. I want her to be what I wished to be all along before she came. And she is my life. That is why I am willing to give up all my indulges to her. I want her to be happy. But can't I be happy, once in a while?

A tear drops down my cheek, and my four charas look at me with concern. I walked towards the teacups. I slung my bookbag over my shoulder, taking it from the bench.

"What is the matter with Amu-chan?" for once, Miki didn't try to make a blunt comment that would hurt my feelings.

"She still loves Ikuto-kun," Dia looked sadly at me. As more tears dripped down my cheek, I had no more strength to stand, and I had to sit.

"No she doesn't! She loves Tadase! Ta-da-se kun! Not him!" Miki pumped her hand in the air angrily.

"Don't you mean used to? ~desu?" Suu came out from behind Miki.

"Suu, you too?!"

"You're still smitten with Kiseki, aren't you, Miki? But we all know you really like Yoru," Ran giggled.

"RAN!" Miki blushed like a tomato at the mention of Yoru's name.

"What? You know it's true…" Dia smiled with a look of ultimate knowledge at Miki, and the blue artistic chara looked like her birthday wish would be to strangle Dia.

"Why you…" Miki growled out.

I smiled softly, and from my book bag, pulled out my flute case.

Pulling my flute out, I smiled at the pure look my flute had. I had it specially made, to have a chubby blue spade, heart, clover and diamond engraved on the flute to represent my charas, each inscribed card symbol an inch long. I sat down in a teacup that was pale yellow with pink bows and decorations painted on it, with a pink rim.

I pulled the flute to my lips and played my heart out, bursting my feelings into the instrument.

I never joined the band, but brought my flute for good measure in case if I ever felt sad.

Rima once told me straight out that the songs I play are the sweetest and saddest. She, being the perceptive one, knew that these songs were a result of me taking out my anger for Tadase only loving a part of me.

He never loved me as a whole.

And he never will fully accept me.

And at this point, the farthest I can be with him is just acquaintances.

Not even friends, he doesn't deserve to be close to me because when he had the chance, he blew it up by saying 'I love you' to Amulet Heart.

It hurt, it hurt, it hurt so much, yet Tadase was oblivious to all my pain that seared in my chest every time I thought, heard, or even saw him.

_But Ikuto understood._

Tears streamed down my face. Why, why won't he understand?

[Normal POV]

Ikuto was walking towards the Amusement Park because his cat instincts told him that she is there, and also Yoru went on and on about Miki being there. And knowing Miki, being one of Amu's charas, would never leave her owner.

His cat ears perked up to hear a soft melody of a flute.

When he neared to the source of the sweet and sad tune, his eyes widened a good measure when he saw his pinkette sadly play the flute.

"Since when did she play the flute?" he wondered out loud.

"I don't know. But I see Miki nya!" Yoru's eyes turned into hearts when he saw the blue chara scribble in her sketchbook happily.

He then floated over to where Miki and the other charas waited, on the bench where Amu had placed her stuff on.

He was only and solely there for the only girl that had made him feel so warm inside when he was hiding from Easter.

The only girl that made him want to remain.

The girl that gave meaning.

[Amu's POV]

I was finishing the song, and then lowered the flute from my lips. The song was long and I was left breathless as all the woodwind instruments require a lot of breathing in order to make sound, the question of music set aside.

Then before I could do anything, two large warm hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who."

Tears spilled out of my eyes again but he didn't remove his hands. Unable to swallow, I managed out, "Thankfully not Tadase."

Suddenly I saw the bright light, and I winced. It took me a few seconds to get readjusted to the bright lights of the amusement park. I looked down to ignore this person, though I knew who it was.

I didn't hear anything so I think he was turning around, though I heard no scrapes and footsteps. Instead I heard the door to the teacup open and a familiar weight make itself comfortable from exactly across from me. The door snapped closed.

I quickly put my flute away and then got up to leave. Obviously I needed to get home. But my parents would just give me a five minute lecture to not let this happen again, before leaving me alone in the dark before they give their love and attention to Ami again.

Not that I care, right?

But before I could open the door to the teacup, the same large hand grabbed my right one and roughly pulled me down beside a body, and long arms wrapped themselves around me, and a head nuzzled into the crook of my neck.

"What happened?" Ikuto whispered

"What do you mean?"

"We all know you cannot play dumb with me, Amu. I can see right through you."

"…"

"So I will repeat my question and expect an answer. What happened, _Amu_?" Ikuto put more emphasis on my name to make me snap.

The emphasis on my name made my insides melt. I couldn't hold it back anymore, and I told him aboutthe memory years ago, on the New Year's Even when I wore a pale pink kimono and got lost in the cemetery and Tadase found me, and the confession his love to Amulet Heart and not me.

I told him about the times when I didn't have any homework or chores or errands or tasks to do, that I would just break down crying, until no more tears could be shed for the time being. I told him of the shell I created after that, and all the apologies he told me couldn't even break it. I admitted to Ikuto, that I didn't love Tadase, and would be much happier if he didn't love me at all.

If he admired a certain personality, I would be cheerful. But he only loved me for my looks and my cold façade and my transformation with Ran. That hurt, because all the times I thought he was very kind to me, was just to see me act with a cool personality, or become one with Ran.

When I finished my long narration, I had nothing else to do but just break down and cry. And the arms that wrapped around my waist become tighter and I leaned into his touch.

Ikuto's head nuzzled in my neck, whispered against my skin, making me shiver, "I swear I am going to kill the Kiddy King the next time I see him."

I shook my head. I don't want revenge, "No. I just want to forget him, completely, and all the damage he caused me. Maybe taking him out of my world might help me heal."

He paused, ready to argue, but lifted his head to meet my eyes. His worried sapphire eyes peered into my sad golden ones.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. This is what I need."

"Then in that case…" he trailed off and released me and went for his pocket, for something in it.

I felt a little unhappy due to the lack of warmth.

But then he took my hand and made me look at him. Ikuto chuckled, "I would kneel on one knee right now, but we're sitting in a teacup."

My eyes widened. Is he…?

"I have waited ever since I met you, that when you are old enough to be aware of my feelings. Will you do the honor of marrying me and becoming my wife?" Ikuto smiled. I waited for this to be a practical joke, but for this moment, and this moment alone, his eyes were dead serious, and he held a smile, not a smirk.

Tears slowly dripped down my tearstained cheeks, alarming him.

"A-Amu I-I didn't mean to…" he reached a hand to wipe my tears away. But can't he tell how happy I am?

Catching him off guard, I leaned forward and wrapped my hands around his neck bringing him in a hug.

"Yes, Ikuto! A thousand times yes!"

He smiled and broke the hug. The ring was an infinity ring* _(Look it up online what it looks like) _With my birthstone of sapphire on the left loop and his birthstone of topaz on the right loop.

The ring slipped over my ring finger, and I hugged him again. Now that I know my life is complete with the person who will love me no matter who I am, Amulet Spade, Heart, Diamond, or Clover, or my joint transformation of Amulet Fortune, or my plain old Cool 'n' Spicy, or my shy and tender and girly inner self.

He broke the hug and switched for the teacup ride to start.

And the whole ride through, we did a battle on spinning the teacup faster.

And it was much later that I found out…

That the teacup we were in, was the teacup we were in when I was 12 and Ikuto was 17, the place that wasn't the first place we met, no that was the construction sight pit.

But the pale yellow teacup with huge dark pink bows and pink rim and pale pink interior coating, was the very place where I opened up to him and he opened up to me.

This is the place where I first started to fall for him, in deep love.

And this place will never be forgotten by me or Ikuto.

This will remain a sweet dream, a sweet memory that I will always cling to. And the teacup is now the place where we confirmed our love for each other officially.

~*O*~

_Fin_


End file.
